Age Range: 10-18 (Grades 5-12, with parental supervision – also see note at bottom of review)

One of our ClickScholars wrote this: “I have been looking and looking for a good online timeline site and I think I stumbled across it. You can browse by who/what/when/where/which, and you can search. I think I’m in heaven. It’s got nice visuals, links to pages with more information, and so on. It looks to be a wiki (user-created) but it’s nicely filled out at this point.”

The Timeline Index is a portal that provides a user-created chronological context of the following categories:

REGIONS, CONTINENTS, & COUNTRIES – Travel back in time to Africa, America, the Arctic, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Oceania, and the Universe.

OBJECTS, THINGS, & CREATIONS – See the context of a variety of topics through time such as Books, Film, Music, Paintings, Economics, Fiction, Myths, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Travel, and more.

Click on any timeline entry in any given topic area and a new page opens with further information that is user-created and includes some illustrations and URLs to other websites where you can get more information.

You can also create your own timeline item and add it to the Timeline Index, or you can add a related link (URL) to an existing item. Details are available at the site and entries require registration.

NOTE TO PARENTS: While this is an exciting idea, it comes with an element of risk because it is user-created. There are a vast array of topics, so it was impossible to review all of the entries. While the website reserves the right to edit/remove items that are contributed to maintain quality, it’s unknown if editing occurs prior to posting. It’s also unclear if suggested links for further research are reviewed for suitable content. AS ALWAYS, parents should preview the site to determine suitability of content for their own children.

NASA created this website to introduce kids to astronomy through colorful, animated pictures and interesting text accompanied by audio narration.

After the solar eclipse last week, maybe your kids are more interested in astronomy. This site offers two levels of study for the same topics. Beginners start with level 1 and then progress to level 2 for more in-depth learning. Those who already know a little about the solar system and space can start with level 2. The topics explored in each level are:

Solar System – A complete description of the solar system including the sun, planets, comets, asteroids, and more. Includes links to more facts, trivia, and includes some interactive Q & A. (Level 2 offers a movie courtesy of NASA.)

Universe – Learn about galaxies, The Milky Way, stars, quasars, black holes, cosmology, and dark matter. Listen to a song about the Doppler effect. (Level 2 offers “Universe Activities” that include interactive puzzles and art.)

So you know a lot about astronauts, satellites, and space probes? On this European Space Agency (ESA) website for kids, you may be surprised not to find mention of American spacecraft such as Endeavor, Galileo, Voyager, Pioneer, and Challenger. In their place, meet CryoSat, Envisat, Rosetta, Columbus, GIOVE-A, Ariane-5 and more!

There is no mention of John Glenn, Sally Ride, or Neil Armstrong; the heroes here include such greats as Vladimir Remek, Miroslav Hermaszewski, Anousheh Ansari, Ulf Merbold, Christer Fugelsang, and Thomas Reiter. Move over, NASA — make room for the ESA! You will definitely learn something new and different at this website!

When you get to the site you will see some features. Use the menu at the top of your screen to explore topics such as “Our Universe” and “Life in Space.” As you click each main topic, you will see a related photo; parts of the photo can be clicked to learn all about the planets (Pluto has not been demoted here), galaxies, space stations, life in space and more.

From the main page you will also see a menu on the left of your screen with three items: “Lab,” “Fun,” and “News.” These sections contain interesting facts, sliding-panel puzzles, games, activities, things to build, animated cartoons, news items, and more. Each time you change topics, these sections may change, so be sure to keep checking them.

In the “News” section, don’t miss the word “More” at the bottom right-hand corner — this leads to the site archives with tons of fascinating articles and activities.

There is too much here to explore in one visit, and this site is kept updated. Bookmark it so you can come back often!

Home of the “Fighting Irish” sports teams and alma mater to numerous well known athletes, politicians, television and movie personalities, astronauts, and many other professionals of distinction, the University of Notre Dame ranks among the “top 25 institutions of higher learning in surveys conducted by U.S. News and World Report, Princeton Review, Time, Kiplinger’s, and Kaplan/Newsweek and others”.

At this website tour the prestigious university located in Indiana from your home.

When arriving at the link, read the brief introduction, then select the “Get Started” button in the middle of the image. You will be taken to a list of all the locations you can visit. Using the navigation tool bar, pinpoint destinations relating to:

Academic

Athletic

Campus Favorites

Sacred Spaces

Residence Halls

Student Life

When arriving at your point of interest, you will find images and informational text about the location. Use the upper navigation to see more photos. Click on the photos to see larger views. Some locations have 360° panoramic images that visitors can use their mouse and keyboard plus and minus keys to explore. Some destinations include video presentations that provide interesting tours of the location. When you are done exploring a location, select the “All Tour Locations” button to return to the list of tours.

Finish up your campus tour by selecting the “Sights and Sounds” link in the upper right of the page to find:

MP3s of “The Notre Dame Victory March” and “Notre Dame, Our Mother”

Live webcams of the Clarke Memorial Fountain, The Dome and Basilica, Hesburgh Library, and McCourtney Hall

If you are interested in learning more about the University of Notre Dame, use the upper navigation bar to select the “About” option to learn the history of the school, discover facts and figures, and see a list of notable alumni.

Whether you are considering Notre Dame as a college choice or not, this tour provides visitors a look into the world of the “Fighting Irish” and its school.

A Maryland ClickScholar suggested this website that “is home to the internet’s largest, most popular and most successful citizen science projects” developed by the Citizen Science Alliance. The CSA works with scientists and researchers around the world on projects that use the efforts and ability of citizen volunteers. Parents and kids can have a great time together engaging in real science projects!

When you get to the site, you’ll see an image menu of the current projects and some retired ones. Click on any image and a new screen opens with a brief description. Click on “Take Part” to get a detailed explanation of the project and what volunteers do. Once you understand the scope of the project, you can sign up to participate (free). Some of the current projects include:

SPACE – View images of space from the Hubble Telescope, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, the STEREO spacecraft, the Kepler spacecraft, and the Spitzer Space Telescope to help researchers with these projects:

Some of the projects include “Resources for Teachers” with interactive lesson plans, teachers’ notes, presentations, events and exhibitions. They are designed for classroom students but can be tweaked for use at home.

You can also participate in “Experiments in Laboratory” that currently include: helping researchers review data about NASA Astronauts and Engineers living on an underwater base for 10 days; searching for life on another planet; and helping researchers describe music collections from various time periods.

Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the “Retired Projects” too!

This is a terrific way to engage the whole family in science explorations. Bookmark it to return often.

Hi! It’s Tuesday, March 6, 2012 and time for Science at Clickschooling!Recommended Website:Cosmic Quest

Age Range: 7-13 (approximately, with parental supervision)

A Maryland ClickScholar recommended this website, sponsored by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, that offers a free “Field Guide to the Universe” and an interactive game that allows kids to try their hand at building and maintaining a space station for astronauts.

When you get to the website, place your cursor over the image of the book or the astronaut to access:

*Field Guide To The Universe – Get information on the Solar System, learn about various space craft, discover astronomers in ancient times, medieval times, the age of enlightenment, and today!

*Living In Space: Interactive Game – Answer questions correctly to try and earn the rank of “Mission Commander.” You’ll learn the answers to:

What’s the best air (gas mixture) to breathe in space?

How much water should you bring to drink?

What combination of protein, carbs, calories and fat should the food you bring contain?

What kind of space toilet will you need?

What’s the best power source to use?

How will you bathe in space?

How many oxygen-producing plants will you need?

At the end of the game you can print out a certificate of completion.

This is a terrific, multi-media resource for introducing kids to space science!